Means for laying covering on surfaces exposed to the weather



A. R. CRAVEN 'July 2, y 193s.

l MEANS FOR LAYING COVERING ON SURFACES EXPOSED TO THE WEATHER Filed Feb. 25, 1951 A TTORNEY Patented July 2, 1935 MEANS FOR LAYING COVERINGl N` SUR- FACES EXPOSED T0 THE WEATHER Andrew Ralph Craven, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Certain-'Feed Products Corporation, `New York, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Y Application February 25, 1931, Serial No. 518,058,-

6 Claims. l(C1. 33`-187) `This invention relates to means for laying covering upon a surface, and more particularly to laying units of covering material exposed to the Weather inspaced arrangement, and especially to laying` units vo1 strips of siding on exterior Walls in overlapped spaced arrangement.

, Covering `units of various types,` such as shingles or claplooards` or asphalt shingles and strips simulating a group of `shingles or other 10 covering units, are usually laid in overlapped Aarrangement upon a roof or side Wall or other exterior surface and also ina spaced arrangement.

In general the spacingbetvveen successive strips in the overlapped arrangement is uniform to `.simulate the usual spacing of Wood shingles, for example, laid individually and of substantially uniform length or to simulate constructions of clapboards or' of brickwork or other masonry. Constructions having non-uniform arrangement may also be simulated in Which'the units are laid with non-uniform spacing. Arrangements of units Without overlapping may also be used.

In the laying of such units and in assembling such constructions it is necessary or desirable 25 rthat the proper spacingpof the units or elements bey obtained and, where a uniform exposure of the unit or element is desired, that the spacing or the uniform distance between the exposed edgesv of the successive units be maintained throughout the construction. *With the usually practiced hand methods it is expensive and difficult, if not impossible, to obtain thedesired spacing and therefore the desired eifect of texture or design orother characteristic in the roof or other surface to be covered, as Well as to insure weather tightness, without measurements for lsuccessive rows or positionsof the units or elements.` This difficulty is increased With units simulating brick- Work, especially those whichare provided vvithy a groove to simulate the horizontal mortar joint and which are laid in an arrangement having the lower edge of an overlapping unit substantially coincide with the upper edge of the mortar joint simulated on the unit beneath. Similar problems arise in the laying of different types of units.l

Gne object, therefore, of the present invention isto provide a. means of locating the units being laidvin proper relation rto, each other upon-a surface. ,l

Another object-,of the invention is to provide a means for holding the units being laid in proper position in relation to the surface for fastening thereto. l

Another object of theV invention is to provide a means of temporarily holding the strips of surface covering materialV in position against a Ysurface in spaced relation tostrips or units previously laid. y A further object of the. invention is to provide means for laying la plurality of units in aj predetermined spaced `relation upon' a surface Without measurement of the spacing `between the successive units. f g

In accordance with myinvention I therefore provide a means so supported or held in relation to the surface to Vbe covered that'it serves as a guide for laying or'as a supporting means forthe units being laid, so that said units-When placed in position in relation to 'said guide Will be properly located uponth'e surface and maintained in such relationship until they areffastened tothe surf-ace `by suitable means. Theguide or supporting means is preferably removably held in position for supporting or guiding the layingof the units while being laid and preferably is of such form that a pluralitykof units may beplaced in position ready for fastening to the surface With one placement of the 'guiding or supporting means. p

In a practical embodiment of myinvention I prefer to use an elongated member having such cross section and offsuch material that it will'be v substantially stiff yor rigid throughout its length and thereby provide a substantially constant guiding edge or supporting surface against which or upon which the units may be set or supported. Such an elongatedmember, for example, may take the form of a beam,such as an angle iron, placed against the surface'` and supported by hangers from brackets or hooks'fastened to the uncovered portion of the surface.

, The invention may find other embodiments and the support forr the elongated member in relation tothe surface may be provided by separate supporting means suitably placed in relation to` the surface and to the member to properly hold the member 1 in position against the surfacel as de'- scribed. For example, instead of providing brack ets'fastened to the uncovered portion of the surface, I may provideindependent supports upon against the guiding edge or rest upon the elongated member they will be in position to be fastened to the surface. For example, a row of units in the form of strips simulating brickwork may rest edgewise upon an elongated member provided with a straight edge and of considerable length. All or a number of the brickwork simulating units comprising a row of units or representing a course of brick in the wall may be laid while the elongated member is in this initial position. By suitable spacing means, such as will be hereafter described, the elongated member may then be moved to the next succeeding position corresponding to the `adjacent unit or row of units above upon the wall. All or a number of the units in this row, i. e. the course of bricks, may be laid by placement against the guiding edge of the elongated member and then fastening to the wall. Similarly, upon moving the elongated member to the next successive position a third row of units may be laid. Repetition of these steps for the successive rows or courses willprovide'the desired covering for th Wall. l

In order to lprovide for the proper spacing betweenl the successive positions of the elongated member and thereby insure the desired or predetermined spacing of the units, for example, the

spacing of the successive courses of brickwork, I

may provide, in connection with the hangers supporting the elongated bar, spaced supporting means which I bring into successive cooperative positions'in relation to the hooks or brackets heretofore mentioned or their equivalent. I thus may predetermine the spacing between the successive units, or, if desired, I may modify thepredetermined spacing by adjustment oi' the spacing means in relation'to the hangers or in relation to each other or by changing the relation of the hanger to the elongated member.

The particular means and combination of parts which I prefer for accomplishing these results, as well as the method of using the device in various ways, will be clear from a further description in v connection with the drawing in which- Fig. 1 shows my device as used for assembly of units upon a wall to simulate brickwork.`

Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a modied form of my device as used to assemble units, such as clapboards, upona wall. f

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of Fig. 3 on line 4 4. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the elongated member and a hanger attached thereto.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the upper end of the hanger showing the adjustable' spacing means. i

In Fig. 1 is shown an assembly of strips such as are usually made ofroofing felt coated with asphalt, upon which coating isapplied granular surfacing material such as slate to represent the exposed faces of brick and to protect the coating and the felt base. In certain forms of such strips a horizontal groove is provided in the asphalt coating to 'simulate a horizontal joint ofthe brickwork, and the vertical joint of brickwork is simulated by the cut-out formed in the exposed portion of the strip between thebrick simulating tabs. Inorder to provide the simulation ofthe mortar in the joints, the overlapped portion of the strip is coated with granular material of a suitable color and grain size and the groove simulating the horizontal joint of the vbrickwork may be similarlytreated to give the appearance of a' mortar joint. An assembly of such unitsis shown in Fig. 1

as an example of the use of my invention. The stripsI are provided with a groove 2 lengthwise thereof and slots or cut-outs 3 transverse to the edge of the strip and extending therefrom to the lower edge of the groove to represent the vertical joint of the brickwork. These slots separate tabs 4 of suitable length to represent the length of a brick, and the length of the slots corresponds to the depth of a brick, the horizontal groove being formed at a distance from the exposed edge of the strip to set off the depth of the tab equal to the depth of the brick. It will be seen that strips of this typeare intended to be assembled in overlapped arrangement with the bottom edge of an overlapping strip substantially coincident with the upper edge of the groove. 'Ihe overlapped area 5 of the strips may then be seen through the slots 3. When this overlapped area is surfaced with a suitable material of contrasting color to the brick, for example, sand or crushed light colored brick, brickwork having uncolored cement mortar joints is simulated. In such cases the horizontal groove formed in the asphalt coating may also be surfacedand represents the horizontal mortar` joint of brickwork `of the type described. v

In using my device in connection with the laying-up of units in such an overlapped arrangement in which, as will be seen, a substantially uniform spacing betweenzthe lower edges of the f' successive strips or courses of units is desired, I may place my guiding device so that the elongated member I I thereof is properly located along a line on the wall at which the bottom edge of a brick course isV to be represented. The hangers I2 which maybe fastened in suitable relation at different points along the length of the member II are suspended upon suitable brackets I3 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 supported by the wall to be covered and above the units being laid. The hangers I2 may be so formed'as by bending that the portion of their length adjacent to the bracket I3 bears against the surface of the wall, whereas the portion adjacent tothe elongated supporting member II' of my device is removed from the wall to form a clear space above the upper surface or' guiding edge of the elongated member II in which the' unit or units being laid may be placed. As shown in Fig. 2, the hangers I2 may be formed of ar flat bar bent so that the portion adjacent to the supporting bracket lies flat against the wall, 4whereas the portion adjacent to the guiding member II, which in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. l and 2 is a beam of angle section, may lie flat against and be fastened to thevertical ange of said angle. It will be seen from Figs. 1 and 2 that the member I I by its weight bears against the'wall'and that the horizontal flange of the angle I I forms a support for the strips I vto hold them in position ready for nailing to the wall. It will also be seen that when said strips are resting edgewise upon the upper face of the horizontal leg of the angle they are correctly positioned relative to the groove of the lstrip next below,l so that all the strips when placed in a row horizontally along the guiding member I I will have their bottom edges substantially coincident with the upper edge of the horizontal groove or simulated mortar joint.

When the desirednumber of strips in such a horizontal row or course have lbeen laid or suitvably fastened to the Wall, the guiding member or support II is raised to the next position for laying the next successive horizontal row of strips to form the next course of the brickwork. The

positioning of thehorizontal guiding member relative tothe course' justlaidmay be accomplished by setting the top -edge of the angle iron so as to coincide with the upper edge of the horizontalimortar joints oflv the course just laid and then fastening the hangers to brackets placed in new positions on the wall so as to hold the horizontal member in position. I may, however, so form the hangers and arrange for their cooperation with the` brackets that I -may, without the necessityof measurement or adjustment, raise thee-longated guiding member to the next successive position without delay andi so as to insure an accurate placement of the guiding `member in itsr new position, whereby to reduce the cost of laying of'strips orunits of this type: and at the same time produce the desired effect in the cover'-l ing' for the wall.- l

To this end, in one embodiment of this feature ofmy inventiony I provide on the hangers I2 a series of holes I5 which, for the type of construen tio-n illustrated in Fig. l, are placed distances apart corresponding or equal to the `vertical spacn ing of the brick courses. The hangers -I 2 are fastened to the elo-ngated member II so that they maintain the proper angular relation to said member, usually at right angles thereto, and therefore when the successive holes I5 are brought into engagement with the hooks or brackets I3, which retain their position in the wall, the guiding member I I Iis raised distances successively equal to successive spaces between the successive holes I5. In the embodiment disclosed'in Fig. l, as stated above, this spacing is equal to the vdistance between the courses of brick, that is to say, be

tween the upper linee-fthe' horizontal mortar joint of one course and the upper horizontal line of the mortar joint in the next course above or below. It will be seen7 therefore, that no measurements will be necessary in order to lay successive rows of units and that the upper face of the angle iron forming the guiding member I I `4will be brought into substantial coincidence with said upper edge vof the horizontal mortar joints by the simple act of hanging the hangers I2 upon the hooks` I3. When, therefore, the units inthe row being laid are set edgewise upon said upper face of the anglefI I, the bottom edge of they unit or ystrip will be brought into substantial coinf cidence lwith said upper edge of the horizontal mortar joint. It will therefore be clear that the desired degree of overlap will be obtained without necessity for alignment or measurement and that inthe particular embodiment being describedxat@y ytention need only be given tothe desired horiis applicable to anytype of'units or strips which are laid in successive arrangements. f

With certain types of for example certain types of'b-rickwork bondsor non-uniform l courses of masonry, or withv uneven exposures of i shingle or shingle simulating units or ofV clapboards 'and the like, a predetermined lack or uniformity may be obtained by spacing the holes I5 along the hangers I2 at spaces corresponding or equal to the desired uneven spacing? of the units upon the surface. For example, a brickwork conf e 3 struction in"' whichfat intervals courses iii-bricks on end,or lplaced'edgewise'in the wall, or'with thefusualbearing face exposed,.1nay4 be. simulated with the use of suitableunitsor stripaand said strips may be properlyspaced and properly related as to both the numberv "of normal or stretcher courses and as to the spacing provided for these courses, aswell as thejspacing provided for the odd coiu'ses, by correspondingly spacing the holes `I 5 along the hanger I 2.' -It will be clear that inusing the guiding device of my invention the workman in reaching .the oddly spaced hole will Vat once know that the proper number of strips simulating the normal courses of -bri'ckwork have beenlaidandthat theV kcourse about to be laid will require the unitsfof'iodd character to represent the odd course or courses of brick. Similarly,V uneven spacing and exposure of shingles to producefodd effects ordesired textures ina roof or wall surfacemay beleid rapidly and accurately by-ordinary workmen.k 'The methods just described'will be applicable not only in con-v nection 'with brickwork or shingle constructions but also will be applicable to other. types of units,

with the advantages of rapid laying, resulting in wastage, will be obtained'forthe various uses to which my invention may be=applied and with the various embodiments which are' within the scope of the invention.A

Figs. 3 and 4, for example, show a modified form of the guiding member and the supporting hangers. The guiding member instead of being formed of an angle iron may, in the embodiment shown in these figures, be formed of' wood or other suitable material in which the ledges 20 and 2l. are` cut longitudinally of the guiding member II onwhich may be rested two successive units such as clapboards in position for fastening to the wall. It will be yclear from Fig. 4 that the `lower unit 22 may be placed soas to rest onrthe lower ledge 2| and may be fastened in place upon the wall inthe usual manner. Without movementof .the guidingdevice I I or its hangers I2` relative to thev brackets I3, the next successive unitk 23 may be placed so as to rest upon the ledge 20 and `then fastened in place. The elongated member I I, `upon which'y the units ora/row of units have been rested and subsequently fastened as just described, may then be moved upward a distancer corresponding to the spacing of two units. Such a movement will bring the lower ledge 2! in line for thenext suc*- cessive unit adjacent the last laid unit 23, and the ledge 2!) will then be in position to receive the second successive unit to the last laid'unit 23. The voperation of laying the units may be repeated for the new position ofthe guiding menu ber4 or :bar II. It will-,now be Aclear, that the spacing of the holes' .I5 insteadof corresponding two'units of lthe pairs of units, however, being determined by the spacing between the ledges 20 and 2|. Variations in the spacing between said ledges may be provided by substituting bars hav- 'ing different spacing of the ledges 20 and 2I.

Such modifications are within the scope of th present invention.

A further modification of the spacing or of the adjustment of the guiding edge or face of the elongated member I I may be made by adjustment of the angular relationship between the hangers I2 and said guiding member II. For example, as shown in Fig. 1 and in greater detail in Fig. 5, I may so attach the hanger I2 to the angle II that said hanger pivots upona pin I6 and is clamped by a wing nut I1 operating upon a stud I8 which passes through a curved slot I9 in the angle II so that the end of the hanger I2 may be clamped in various positions and therefore at various angles to the length of the guiding member or angle I'I. At the right hand end of Fig. 5 is shown the pin I6 upon which the right hand hanger I2 pivots with said hanger removed therefrom, and adjacent to said pin is shown the corresponding slot I9 from which also the respective wing nut II and stud I8 have been removed. Other devices may be used within the scope of the invention to accomplish this purpose.

As an example of the adjustment referred to, the left hand hanger I2 may be placed at an angle other than aright angle to the guiding member II while the right hand hanger I2 may be maintained at a right angle to said guiding member. With corresponding positions for the brackets or hooks I3 upon the wall, the left hand end of the member II may beraised relative to the right hand end, thereby adjusting the level or alignment of said member II relative to the wall. It is also possible by suitably forming the slots I9 to so position the hangers I2, `for example at the same angle with the elongated member II and running in the samedirection relative to the length of said member II, that when the device is used in connection with brackets fastened upon a wall or surface in the manner described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 the arrangement of successive courses will be that of units running parallel to each' other but at an incline to the horizontal upon the surface or at other than a right angle to the direction of the successive positions of the hangers. Variations of positioning of the guiding member II may also be utilized to vary along the length of the courses, for example in a horizontal direction, the spacing between successive courses. Combinations of the variations produced by spacings of the holes along the hangers I 2 with variations in the elevation of the bar or guiding member II may be made to produce particular arrangements of the units'and special eiects upon the surface. Such angular placements may also be used to avoid interference with projecting portions of the wall surface to be covered, such as window frames, or to iind lodgment for the brackets or hooks I3. i y

A further feature of the embodiment illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 4 provides for the forming of the slot I9 in the form `of an arc of acircle of such degree that the hangers I2 may be folded by pivoting about the pin I6 so as to lie along, or substantially along, the guiding member I'I, so that without removal of the hangers I2 from engagement with said member'II `the whole device may be conveniently handled and transported. However, if desired the use of the wing nut II andthe stud I8'permits removal of the hangers from engagement with the bar I I, so that hangers of diierent form to suit particular conditions of the wall surface or to provide different spacings of the holes for engagement with the brackets I3 may be attached. The clamping action of the wing nut makes the whole device a rigid unit which therefore hangs in proper position and Without swinging laterally.

Modifications both of the method of attachment to the guiding member I I, as well as to the wall, and of the hangers I2 themselves may be made within the scope of the invention to provide for different conditions. For example, while in thev embodiment shown in the drawing I have used the simple device of nails driven into the Iwoodwork of a wall to be covered by brickwork simulating units or by clapboards, upon which nails the hangers may be hung by simply slipping the proper holes over said nails, I may provide a bracket of suchform that the point of its engagement with the holeof the hanger I2 is somewhat removed from the wall. In such case the bend formed in the hanger I2 may be reduced or eliminated. Other modifications may be made in the form of the. hanger I2 by suitable design of the brackets and the portion of the hangers engaging with said brackets. The arrangement of parts may be such that the weight of the device causes the elongated member II to swing against the wall and hold the unit in place by pressing it against the wall.

In Fig. 6 is illustrated a particular form of the upper end of the `hangers I2 which provides for adjustment of the spacing of the means on said hangers for engagement with said brackets. In the particular embodiment shown in Fig. 6, I provide a slot 30 lengthwise of the hanger I2 in which are slidably arranged bushings 3l which have a hole I5 therein for engagement with the bracket or hook I3 as heretofore described. The bushings 3| may be clamped by suitable means such as set screw 35, in order to properly position said bushings relative to the lhanger I2. The set screw 35 bears upon the surface of the hanger I2 and draws the rear flange 36 of the bushing 3| against the rear face of said hanger I2 to clamp the bushing in the desired position. For convenience I provide a marker 32 for each bushing, which is suitably related to a scale marked upon the hanger I2 along the slot 30. There is thus provided a means for adjustably positioning successive holes I5 while holding such holes in the proper relationship with each other to produce the desired spacing. It will be clear that variations in the spacing may thus be obtained of nner degree than that provided by the spaced holes along the hangers I2 as described in vconnection with Figs. 1 and'2. There will thus be avoided in some cases the necessity of changing the hangers I2 in order to obtain different spacings for different surfaces or types of work. It will be clear that when the bushings 3I are set in a predetermined relation along the slots the guiding device of my invention may be used in a similar manner to that described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2.

While I have described my invention particularly in connection with the laying of units in the form of strips of covering material such as asphalt `coatedrooiing strips surfaced with slate to simulate brickwork or in conection with clapboard simulating units, I may utilize the device of my invention to lay spaced units of other types such as wood clapboards or wood shingles upon desired spacing of the units upon theV surface,y

a roof or a side Wall or other rsurface With the advantages of savingv in the cost of laying, convenience in handling the units and accuracy of producing the desired result as mentioned above. The guiding edge of the member Il of my device Will serve to properly position such units laid in overlapped arrangement. With similar advantages I may also use my device to guide the laying of units in spaced arrangement Without overlapping by using the guiding edge as a means of alignment. For example, by suitably supporting said guiding member ll on posts as heretofore described, I may use the edge thereof as a line for the laying of courses of brick or masonry in place a part of their extent depending each from one of said Weight sustainingmeans, and a bar no1'- mally rigidly attached to said hangers at a point on each hanger spaced in the direction transversely of the bar a predetermined distance from the point thereon at Which said hanger depends from its Weight sustaining means, said Weight sustaining means respectively being positioned at predetermined distances in the vertical direction from the positions upon the wall of said units to be laid, said device being so supported by said Weight sustaining means that upon said bar may be rested the lower edge of a unit in position to be laid upon said Wall surface, each of said hangers at said point thereon at which the hanger depends from its Weight sustaining means and at a plurality of points spaced therefrom in the direction transversely of the length of said bar being formed for selective removable engagement With said Weight sustaining means, the spacing on each hanger of said points at which said hanger is formed for selective removable engagement With its Weight sustaining means being proportionate to the desired vertical spacing of the units upon thewall.

2. A device for use in laying covering units in a plurality of spacedv positions upon a supporting structure which comprises a guide in relation to which to position a unit, means fixed in relation to said structure and determining a single point thereon spaced from said positions of the units in the general direction of the spacing of the units and in a predetermined relation thereto, and means normally rigidly connected to said guide and providing at a plurality of points thereon spaced apart in the general direction of the spacing of the units means for selective removable engagement with said xed means, said iixed means being formed and arranged for xedly holding in relation to said structure said guide .able engagement upon saidV means rigidly connected to said guide being proportionate to the whereby, upon engagement With said xed means of the means for removable engagement at the different points on said rigidly connected means, different positions of the guide are determined for laying said units in the different spaced positions. f

3. A device for use in laying covering units in spaced positions upon a surface 'to be 'covered which comprises a guide for positioning a unit' upon the surface, a member normally rigidly connected toI said guide and having an extent generallyin the directionv of the spacing of thev units from said guide, said member at a plurality of `points thereon spaced apart in said general directiony being formed for selective removable n engagement with aholding means, said holding.

means determining a single point fixed in rela.-

tion to said surface at which said member may I engage said holding means, said holding means being formed and arranged so that it may be removably engaged by said member and xedly to hold with respect tcsaid surface said member and lsaid guide rigidly connected thereto when said `member is in said engagement with said holding means, the spacing on said member of the points at which it is formed for said removable engagement being proportionate to the desired spacing of the units upon said surface.

4. A device according to claim l in which said bar is formed with a flange portion extending substantially normal to the wall so that the edge thereof may rest thereagainst.

5. A device according to claim 3 in Whichsaid member includes means adjustable thereon in the direction of the spacing of the units andv formed for said selective removable engagement 4with said holding means, whereby the spacing on said member'of said points of removable engagement with said holding means maybe varied.

J 6. A device for use in laying a surface covering composed of units laid in courses upon the surface which comprises an elongated guide member arranged to be positioned lengthwise of lthe courses against which to abut the units to be laid in ak course, a plurality of means each fixed with respect to said surface and each determininga point thereon spaced from said course in a directiontransversely of the course at a predetermined distance therefrom, and a plurality of positioning members each normally rigidly attached to said elongated member and extending transversely thereof to engage one of said xed means at a point on said positioning member removed from the point of rigid attachment to said elongated member, said iixed means being constructed to hold the device xed in relation to ysaid surface When so engaged, said positioning members each providing at said point of engagement i and at predetermined intervals therealong from said point of engagement in said direction transverse to said elongated member means for selective re- 

